Black Tide breathed violence.
Not in bursts.
Not in moments.
But constantly.
---
Wood creaked under heavy boots.
Steel rang somewhere in the distance.
Voices rose, clashed, broke into threats.
And sometimes—
Into blood.
---
Thalren walked through it.
Unbothered.
Uninterested.
---
Until—
---
He stopped.
---
It wasn't the noise.
It wasn't the crowd.
---
It was the movement.
---
Ahead—
A circle had formed.
Loose.
Uneven.
---
Men stood around it.
Watching.
Waiting.
---
Inside—
A fight.
---
Five against one.
---
All armed.
All tense.
---
The one in the center stood still.
---
Two swords rested in his hands.
Not raised.
Not defensive.
---
Ready.
---
One man stepped forward.
Then rushed.
---
Fast.
Direct.
---
The first blade moved.
A simple deflection.
---
The second followed instantly—
A blur.
---
A cut.
Clean.
---
The attacker dropped.
---
No wasted motion.
---
Silence fell for a split second.
---
Then all four moved.
Together.
---
Blades flashing.
---
The man didn't step back.
---
He stepped forward.
---
A twist of his body—
---
One blade cut low.
The other rose high.
---
Two men fell.
---
The third hesitated.
Too long.
---
The distance closed.
A sharp slash—
---
He collapsed.
---
The last one staggered back.
Fear clear in his eyes.
---
The man walked toward him.
Slow.
Calm.
---
No anger.
No rush.
---
The last man dropped his weapon—
And ran.
---
No one chased him.
---
The fight was over.
---
The man stood still.
---
Blood dripped from his blades.
Some of it his.
Most of it not.
---
His eyes shifted.
---
They landed on Thalren.
---
Silence.
---
"…You're watching."
---
His voice was low.
Steady.
---
Thalren didn't move.
---
"…You're still standing."
---
A pause.
A faint smirk touched the man's lips.
---
"…Good."
---
He stepped forward.
Measured.
---
"…Most people look away."
---
Thalren said nothing.
---
The air tightened.
---
Then—
---
He moved.
---
Fast.
---
Both blades cut forward.
---
Thalren shifted.
Barely.
---
The first strike missed.
---
The second came close—
Too close.
---
Thalren stepped in.
---
Inside the range.
---
His hand moved.
A sharp strike.
---
The man reacted instantly.
---
The flat of his blade met the attack.
---
A sharp sound echoed.
---
Both stepped back.
---
Eyes locked.
---
"…Not bad."
---
Silence.
---
Then—
---
They moved again.
---
Faster.
Sharper.
---
Steel cut through the air.
---
Thalren moved with it.
Not against it.
---
He slipped past one strike—
Turned with another—
Closed the distance—
---
The man adjusted.
---
Perfectly.
---
A horizontal slash came.
---
Thalren leaned back.
The blade passed inches from his face.
---
A counter—
---
Blocked.
---
Another—
---
Dodged.
---
Neither gained ground.
---
Neither stepped away.
---
Then—
---
They stopped.
---
At the same time.
---
Silence settled between them.
---
"…Enough."
---
The man lowered his blades slightly.
---
"…Name."
---
"…Thalren."
---
A pause.
---
"…Kaizen."
---
The name lingered.
---
Kaizen studied him.
Carefully.
---
"…You fight well."
---
A brief pause.
---
"…But you're raw."
---
Thalren's eyes narrowed slightly.
---
Kaizen stepped forward once more.
---
"…Watch."
---
He moved.
---
Not like before.
---
Sharper.
---
More focused.
---
Both blades crossed—
---
A diagonal strike—
---
Fast.
Clean.
Violent.
---
The air itself seemed to split.
---
He stopped.
---
Looked at Thalren.
---
"…Twin Fang."
---
Silence.
---
"…You don't cut with your arms."
---
A step closer.
---
"…You cut with intent."
---
He raised one blade slightly.
---
"…One strike decides everything."
---
A pause.
---
"…Swing without meaning… and you'll never land it."
---
Silence.
---
Thalren didn't reply.
---
But something settled.
---
Not understanding.
---
But awareness.
---
Kaizen turned away.
---
"…Get stronger."
---
"…Or die here."
---
And walked off.
---
The crowd slowly broke apart.
---
The noise returned.
---
Like nothing had happened.
---
---
Later—
---
A tavern near the docks.
---
Dim.
Heavy.
---
The air smelled of salt, alcohol, and old wood.
---
Rough voices filled the space.
---
Men drank from heavy mugs.
Some argued.
Some laughed.
Some watched too closely.
---
A wooden mug was set down in front of Thalren.
---
A rough plate followed.
---
Burnt meat.
Dry bread.
Nothing more.
---
He ate without concern.
---
The noise around him didn't matter.
---
The door slammed open.
---
"…CALAMITY—!"
---
Silence.
---
Every head turned.
---
"…It's here!"
---
Chairs scraped.
---
Men stood up immediately.
---
Some grabbed weapons.
Others just ran.
---
Fear—
But not retreat.
---
They moved toward it.
---
Thalren stood.
---
Calm.
---
And followed.
---
Outside—
---
People gathered at a distance.
---
Not too close.
Not too far.
---
Watching.
---
No one stepping forward.
---
The air ahead—
---
Heavy.
---
Different.
---
Like something unseen was pressing down.
---
Thalren moved through the crowd.
---
Slow.
---
Unstoppable.
---
His eyes fixed forward.
---
He couldn't see clearly yet.
---
But he felt it.
---
Something—
Wrong.
---
Behind him—
---
A familiar voice.
---
"…You came."
---
Thalren didn't turn.
---
Kaizen stood there.
---
Arms relaxed.
Eyes forward.
---
"…Of course you did."
---
Silence.
---
"…You don't run," Kaizen muttered.
---
No response.
---
The pressure increased.
---
Even breathing felt heavier.
---
Someone whispered—
---
"…That's a Calamity…"
---
The word spread.
---
Low.
Uneasy.
---
Thalren's eyes sharpened slightly.
---
Calamity.
---
A name.
---
Not understood.
---
But felt.
---
Ahead—
---
The crowd shifted slightly.
---
And for a moment—
---
A glimpse.
---
Massive.
---
Moving.
---
Not like anything before.
---
Not like any beast.
---
Thalren didn't step back.
---
Didn't hesitate.
---
His gaze remained fixed.
---
The sheath at his side pulsed faintly.
---
Once.
---
Then still.
---
"…Tch."
---
Kaizen clicked his tongue.
---
Not annoyed.
---
Interested.
---
"…This might be fun."
---
Silence.
---
The presence ahead grew heavier.
---
Stronger.
---
And for the first time—
---
Thalren understood something clearly.
---
This—
---
Was beyond anything he had faced.
---
And yet—
---
He walked forward anyway.